A WEEK before Callum Simpson’s European title boxing match at Oakwell, a national championship in a different type of combat sport will take place in Barnsley.

The British Sumo Wrestling Federation are due to hold their annual championships at Penistone Grammar School on Saturday.

The town of Barnsley has become a hub for the sport, which originates in Japan and is known for the size of its competitors, after Richard Riggs from Higham founded Barnsley Sumo Club last year which is now thriving.

Riggs, who is also the vice-president of the federation, said: “This is our blue riband event.

“It’s the first time it has been held in Barnsley. It’s going to be the biggest we’ve ever had.

“We have people coming from all over the country to compete, from Portsmouth up to the North West.

“We’re just looking to grow the sport in this country and show people it’s not what they think it might be.

“I think our most popular categories this weekend are lightweight and middleweight – people with smaller body types.

“People are figuring out it’s not just fat lads running into each other.”

The small number of tickets to watch in the school hall have sold out, with Richard hoping for a larger venue in the future.

He said: “We held a test competition last December to see if the appetite was there and it went really well.

“The idea is to alternate between the north and south every year.

“We’ve selected Barnsley partly because I live here, but also because the test event went so well and because Barnsley Sumo Club is going from strength to strength.

“Penistone Grammar School has been great for us, and the perfect place to kick-start it all, but we’re hoping we outgrow it.

“We would like to host the event at a venue where we can have more spectators in the future.

“I have thought about the Metrodome but I think that is a few years off at the moment.”

Barnsley Sumo Club is based at KBOX Kickboxing Academy on Eldon Street.

Richard said: “We’ve not even been open a year and we have more than 20 people on the books.

“We’d love to develop a women’s section and a youth section.

“We don’t want to be a flash in the pan.

“At the moment, we meet twice a month but we want to increase that.

“As we get bigger and more well-known, we will look to integrate into the martial arts community in the town and be a fixture of it for years to come.

“We have eight or nine people at the championships in Penistone and we’re hoping for some silverware.”

Any interested in joining the club can email: barnsley.sumo@gmail.com.